GENDER AND GENDER STUDIES Flashcards
What’s the gender
It’s a social construct specifying the socially and culturally prescribed ideas about the behaviour , actions and roles a particular sex performs.
Is gender fluid
True, it can change
What is the definition of gender by Gerda Lener
'’GENDER IS THE COSTUME, A MASK, A STRAIT JACKET IN WHICH MEN AND WOMEN DANCE THEIR UNEQUAL DANCE’’
Where was gerda lener from
From Austria born American
women’s history author
What’s a stereotype
A widely held simplified and essentialist belief about a specific group. Groups are stereotype on the basis of sex, gender, identity, race and ethnicity ,socioecnomic statuts.
What’s GENDER EQUALITY AND HOW CAN IT BE ACHIEVED
Concept of all human being both men and women are free to develop their personal abilities and choices without stereotype , rigid gender roles and prejudices, UNESCO 2000
What are prejudices
An unfair feeling of dislike for a person group because of race,sex,religion
What is gender roles
the role or behaviour considered to be appropriate to a particular gender as determined by prevailing cultural norms.
“the emphasis on maintaining traditional gender roles”
Gender roles are a set of social norms that define what is considered appropriate behavior for men and women. These norms can vary from culture to culture, but they often include expectations about things like clothing, occupations, and relationships
Types of gender
There are many different types of gender, and the way that people understand and express their gender is diverse. Some of the most common types of gender include:
Cisgender: This term refers to people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Transgender: This term refers to people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Non-binary: This term refers to people whose gender identity is not exclusively male or female.
Genderfluid: This term refers to people whose gender identity fluctuates over time.
Agender: This term refers to people who do not identify with any gender.
Genderqueer: This term is an umbrella term that can be used to describe people whose gender identity falls outside of the traditional male/female binary.
Two-spirit: This term is used by some Indigenous people to describe people who have both a masculine and feminine spirit.
Statement on gender equality
Different behaviours , aspirations and needs of men and women are considered, valued and equally favoured, it doesn’t mean that men and women should become the same , rights responsiblities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are male or female
What is GENDER EQUITY
this is fairness of treatment for women and men according to their respectives needs
Equity LEADS to Equalityy
Equality is sameness ie giving everyone the same thing it only works if everyone starts from same place
Equity LEADS to Equalityy
Equity is referred to as fairness ie Acess to same opportunity we must first ensure equity before leading to equality
Why is gender an important issue in AFRICA
SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS
Social construction of society (we will build our society like that)
Discriminatory cultural practices
Discriminatory inheritance practices
Marriage (polygamy, rights and duties in marriage, widowhood rites, wife inheritance)
Family and community life (chores, decision-making, seclusion, stereotypes, role expectations
Reproductive health (decisions on family planning, sexuality, pro-natalism)
B-LEGAL FACTORS
-THE LAW AS A REINFORCER
customary laws are not ennacted by legislature but by customs,unwritten
State law are ennacted by legislature ie criminal law,education law
What’s patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which the role of the male as the primary authority figure is central to social organisation and where fathers hold authority over women, children, other men and property.
wHAT implies the institutions of male rule and privilege and is dependent on female subordination
PATRIARCHY
Where has patriarchy manifested
patriarchy has manifested itself in the social, legal, political and economic organisation of a range of different cultures and also influences modern civilisation
key notes
In modern times societies and institutions are described as patriarchal when they have features of patriarchies
Matrilineal inheritance systems do not disrupt patriarchy
Matrilineal inheritance is a system of inheritance in which property and titles are passed down through the female line. This means that property and titles are inherited by the children of a woman, regardless of the gender of the child.
Matrilineal inheritance is a relatively rare system of inheritance, but it is found in some cultures around the world. Some of the cultures that practice matrilineal inheritance include the Ashanti people of Ghana, the Minangkabau people of Indonesia, and the Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea.
WHAT IS MASCULINITY???
The term masculinity signifies a collective gender identity and not a natural attribute. It is socially constructed, fluid, resulting in diverse forms across different times and context, and mediated by socio-economic position, race, ethnicity, religion, age, geographic location and other local factors (Adomako Ampofo and Boateng 2007; Ratele 2002; Connell1998; Morrell, 1998a
IS MASCULINITY A COLLECTIVE GENDER IDENTITY
YES
IS MASCULINITY A NATURAL ATTRIBUTE
NO,FALSE
WHAT DOES MASCULINITY CONSTITUTE
Masculinity defines how boys should behave, be treated, dress, appear, what they should succeed at, and what attitudes and qualities they should have
WHO AND WHERE WAS THIS DEFINITION OF MASCULINITY MADE ‘‘Masculinity defines how boys should behave, be treated, dress, appear, what they should succeed at, and what attitudes and qualities they should have’’
Kamla Bhasin’s 2004 book Exploring Masculinity is a critical analysis of the concept of masculinity. Bhasin argues that masculinity is a social construct
FORMS OF MASCULINITY ACCORDING TO kamla bhasin’s
-Hegemonic masculinity
-Militant masculinity .
-Working-class and bourgeois masculinity
explain the forms of masculinity
*Hegemonic masculinity is the most dominant form of masculinity. It is characterized by aggression, dominance, and control. Hegemonic masculinity is often associated with power and privilege.
*
Militant masculinity is a form of masculinity that is characterized by violence and aggression. It is often associated with conflict and war.
*Working-class and bourgeois masculinity are forms of masculinity that are associated with different social classes. Working-class masculinity is often characterized by physical strength and toughness. Bourgeois masculinity is often characterized by wealth and privilege.
'’real men’’
Hegemonic masculinity
“Kwadwo Basia”
male with perceived feminine features and attitudes)
In her 2010 book Gender Terrains in African Cinema, Nwachukwu Frank Diipo
In order to sustain itself, hegemonic masculinity is constantly on the ‘look out’ for threats against the status quo-to adjusts the balance of power to keep situation under control
What are gender relations
Gender relations are the social relationships and power distribution between men and women in both the private (personal) and public spheres. They are shaped by a variety of factors, including culture, religion, economics, and politics.
Gender relations can be both positive and negative
Element of gender relations
-Division of labour
.Productive and reproductive roles
.Male roles and responsibilities valued more than women’s
.Women roles and responsibilities undervalued
-Control of resources (land, power, labour, education, training, etc.)
-Gender ideologies (socialization, changing, etc.)
-Gender myths and stereotypes (“women are their own enemies,” victim blaming, e.g. in rape, women are gossips, women are weaker sex, men are cheats, men are liars
Justifications for dealing with gender inequalities
*HUMAN RIGHT
*ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY
*SOCIAL COHESION
*INDIVIDUAL WELL BEING
WHAT ARE THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR DEALING WITH GENDER INEQUALITIES
Development imperatives (sustainable-diversity contributes to sustainable development, people-centred development) - bringing diverse contributions in development initiatives.
Citizenship rights and the constitution (all are equal)
Gender equitable cultures (E.g. eliminate indiscriminate cultural practices, bias working cultures).
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES TO GENDER INEQUALITY
Past five decades: 4 world conferences has been held
WHAT WERE THE 4 WORLD CONFERENCE HELD TO RESPOND TO GENDER INEQUALITY
-MEXICO CITY 1ST WORLD CONFERENCE
-COPENHAGEN 2ND WORLD CONFERENCE
-NAIROBI 3RD WORLD CONFERENCE
-BEIJING 4TH WORLD CONFERENCE
WHAT WERE THE 4 WORLD CONFERENCE HELD TO RESPOND TO GENDER INEQUALITY
MEXICO CITY 1ST WORLD CONFERENCE on women held in 1975 organised by UNITED NATIONS commision on the status of women to coincide with international women year. The conference was attended by 133 governmental and 6000 non governmental organizations
Achievement of mexico city world conference on gender inequality
-equal right for women
-strengthening of the role of women in peace and security
-The conference adopted the World Plan of Action, which is a comprehensive blueprint for achieving gender equality.
WHAT WERE THE 4 WORLD CONFERENCE HELD TO RESPOND TO GENDER INEQUALITY
COPENHAGEN 1980 2nd world conference
WHAT WERE THE 4 WORLD CONFERENCE HELD TO RESPOND TO GENDER INEQUALITY
NAIROBI 1985 review the progress made in the decade for women
BEIJING 4TH WORLD CONFERENCE
BEIJING 1995 the most comprehensive world conference on women to date. It adopted the BEIJING DECLARATION AND PLATFORM FOR ACTION
WHAT CONVENTION WAS ADOPTED TO ADDRESS GENDER EQUALITY
1979 to address gender equality.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
SOME INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS in place
Beijing Platform for Action 1995 (+5, +10, +15, +20)
Millennium Development Goals 2000 (1,3,5)
Sustainable Development Goal 5, 2005
African Charter on Human and People’s Rights also valled banjul charter 1981,1986
Historical Context to National Interventions-The 4th Republic
Constitutional Guarantees
All persons shall be equal before the law (17.1).A person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status (17.2) and(17.3)
The State shall afford equality of economic opportunity to all citizens; and, in particular, the State shall take all necessary steps so as to ensure the full integration of women into the mainstream of the economic development of Ghana (35.6)
